Prioritize the love of what you do over external praise or recognition, as flipping this order invariably leads to problems. Enjoy external rewards only after loving the craft itself.
Promise to take embarrassment out of the equation when you fail, because reacting with embarrassment restricts creative problem-solving and deep cognitive processing, leading to underperformance.
Shift from an ego orientation to a mastery orientation by deeply understanding and clarifying your fundamental reasons for doing what you do. This ‘why’ determines how you practice and react to setbacks.
When you fail, react with curiosity, viewing it as a step in a process rather than a setback. This mindset, exemplified by Thomas Edison, fosters skill development and long-term success.
When afraid, confront your fear directly (’eyeball to eyeball’) instead of running away. Allowing life to bully you by avoiding fear prevents you from being present in the moment.
Pre-determine how you will react to failure, choosing acceptance, humor, or curiosity over toxic emotions like embarrassment or anger. This intentional reaction prevents underperformance and promotes psychological freedom.
Intentionally select a small circle of 3-4 people who love you, care about you, are accurate observers, and will tell you the truth. Use these individuals as your mirrors for honest feedback.
Sublimate and channel your desire into innovation and evolution, as this productive channeling creates great works of art, architecture, and elevates the human condition.
Identify activities where you lose track of time, feel effortless, and experience elation (flow states), and then actively do more of them. These states are hallmarks of people great at what they do.
Periodically audit your life and relationships from a 30,000-foot view to identify any ‘headwinds’ or biases against your success. Ask trusted people to audit you for blind spots.
Recognize that a lot of winning involves knowing when to quit, get out of a bad bet, or stop beating your head against a wall. This judgment is crucial for sustainable success.
Understand that a key advantage in sustained performance is knowing how to take breaks and rest effectively.
Cultivate humility by readily acknowledging what you don’t know, as this is a characteristic of the best performers in the world.
Engage in a never-ending series of problem-solving, testing, and risk-taking, being willing to try many different things until you get it right.
Develop the ability to trust your own vision and eye, and then act on it. This means playing the shot you see and building what you envision.
Be intentional about what you look at and who you put in your world, controlling your focus so that the mirrors and feedback you receive are accountable.
Cultivate an unequivocal work ethic and maintain a feverish cadence, always feeling a rush as if you’re playing catch up.
Avoid populating your life with people who judge, criticize, or suppress your psychological freedom. Such individuals can prevent the fertilization of success-driving qualities.
Throw yourself into deep immersion in the things you love to do, losing track of time and actively seeking to solve the hardest problems.
When deciding whether to press an advantage, question what underlying desire is driving that impulse. Incorrect pressing often stems from impatience or frustration.
Even when leading, benchmark yourself against a higher historical standard (like Tiger Woods chasing Jack Nicklaus’s record) to maintain a ‘chasing’ mindset and continuously extend your advantage.
Map your advantages, know in the moment if you have one, and determine how much risk you’re willing to take and what losses you can tolerate before acting.
Honestly assess your capacity to handle losses; if a potential loss would meaningfully affect your future actions, it’s a critical ’tell’ to reconsider.
Refine your emotional reactions to elevate your senses and enhance decision-making, rather than attempting to suppress emotions entirely.
Cultivate self-knowledge and complex thinking, as complicated situations and games at the tail end of the curve require this depth of thought.
Be decisive in your actions and avoid overcomplicating situations, sometimes adopting a ‘see ball, hit ball’ approach.
Adopt middle-class values, regardless of your wealth, as they tend to work in life by keeping you humble and happy.
Understand what truly matters to you beyond material possessions or building a ‘big life,’ recognizing that more things do not necessarily equate to happiness for everyone.
Engage in ’no money fun’ activities that bring you joy, active engagement, and don’t cost a lot of money, like Mike Myers’s childhood experiences.
Maintain a realistic yet directionally positive outlook, celebrating the good, being optimistic, and consistently practicing kindness towards yourself and others.
Practice gratitude and help other people, especially in times when you have no apparent reason to be grateful or have limited resources.
Keep your hand on the pulse of the ‘qualia’ of your experience, regularly assessing how your life feels qualitatively rather than just quantitatively.
Intentionally spend time with remarkable human beings who can teach you at every turn, regardless of their conventional success.